Sunday, August 30, 2009

DJ AM, a playable character in Activision's forthcoming DJ Hero, was found dead in his Manhattan apartment Friday.

Adam Goldstein, as he was known in real life, was a performer with a well-known history of drug addiction, and recovery from it. He was 36.

Tim Riley, the Activision vice president of music affairs, released a brief statement on word of Goldstein's death: "We are deeply saddened by the loss of DJ AM. We hope that his work on the game will be a fitting tribute to his creative spirit and musical talent."

So it doesn't sound like the tragic development changes anything about DJ AM's appearance in the game, due for release Oct. 27.

The Associated Press reported that police found prescription medications and a crack pipe in Goldstein's apartment in New York. Paramedics discovered him shirtless and wearing sweatpants in his bed at 5:20 p.m. on Friday. A friend had called police, alarmed that he was unable to get into the home. There was no evidence of foul play.